Wednesday, July 7, 2010
On Embarrassment
This afternoon, I was changing my clothes as part of my getting-ready-to-go-to-class ritual. I live on the third floor, so I thought it was safe to leave the blinds open just where the air conditioner juts out in the window. Much to my surprise, I looked up to see the maintenance man's face appear in the window. He was fixing the gutter, or something. I was incredibly embarrassed because I wasn't dressed. I quickly closed the blinds and proceeded to laugh.
Monday, June 21, 2010
On Trials
Tonight, I was talking to my best friend on the phone. He asked me why life is so hard. All I could say was, "I don't know, but when you find out, let me know." I wish I had a better answer; I'm sure that wasn't very comforting. But then again, I'm not sure anyone really knows why life can be so hard sometimes. Or all the time. Life is a battle from beginning to end.
I remember a time when I was talking to a mentor of mine about some of the struggles I was going through. I told her I felt bad feeling sorry for myself because I knew of so many other people who were going through hard things, too, like terminal illnesses or divorce or losing a home. She told me that I shouldn't feel bad about that; what I go through is just as difficult for me as other people's trials are for them.
People say Heavenly Father allows us to experience hard things because He loves us. In a hard time, that really seems backwards. If He loved us, He would take all the hurt and pain and loneliness away. But I suppose it's important to understand that our Heavenly Father knows our trials will make us better. He wants us to someday be like Him, so we must learn and grow until we reach that point. Heavenly Father allows difficult things to occur in our lives because of His infinite love for us.
I remember a time when I was talking to a mentor of mine about some of the struggles I was going through. I told her I felt bad feeling sorry for myself because I knew of so many other people who were going through hard things, too, like terminal illnesses or divorce or losing a home. She told me that I shouldn't feel bad about that; what I go through is just as difficult for me as other people's trials are for them.
People say Heavenly Father allows us to experience hard things because He loves us. In a hard time, that really seems backwards. If He loved us, He would take all the hurt and pain and loneliness away. But I suppose it's important to understand that our Heavenly Father knows our trials will make us better. He wants us to someday be like Him, so we must learn and grow until we reach that point. Heavenly Father allows difficult things to occur in our lives because of His infinite love for us.
Sunday, June 6, 2010
On Impolite Customers
My bakery shift starts long before the restaurant portion of the store even opens. And since the bakery is right next to the grill area, I often have to deal with the customers wondering if the grill is open, though it is clearly not, given that there are no employees there, the grill hasn't even been turned on, and the sign says the grill opens at 11:00. My usual response: "No. The grill doesn't open until 11:00."
But on Saturday, I had the pleasure of serving one customer who seemed frustrated with me even before I noticed she was there. I was making rice krispy treats, so I had my back turned to the restaurant. All of a sudden, I heard a woman's voice question, "Are you open?" I turned around and shook my head. I started to turn back to my rice krispy treats, but she continued to question me. "You could have told me that before! Didn't you see me standing here!?" Shocked, I replied with a simple "no." Still, she persisted. "So, your lights are on, and the doors are open, but you aren't open!?" Confused, I said, "Well, grocery is open, but the grill doesn't open until 11:00." At this point, she noticed the sign and left, murmuring to herself.
I was stunned by the way she talked to me. I don't understand how someone could treat a complete stranger that way. But, unfortunately for me, she wasn't the first and is not likely to be the last.
A customer approached me one morning to ask me if we served breakfast. Of course, I told him, "Sorry, no, we don't," and went back to braiding bread, or frosting brownies, or cheesing hoagie buns--whatever task I was performing. A few minutes later, my supervisor appeared in the bakery to ask me, "What's this I hear about you being rude to customers?" I was dumbfounded. I think I just stared at him with my jaw dropped. So my supervisor talked instead. "Yeah, this guy said he asked you if we served breakfast, you said no, and you glared at him." Hardly. I'll admit, I didn't exactly give him the time of day, but some things are obvious (like the fact that we don't serve breakfast,) and I was obviously busy. Luckily, my supervisor recognized that the customer's claim was ridiculous, so we had a little chuckle about it and went back to work.
During my first month of work, when I was a lowly restaurant minion, not yet an esteemed baker, I experienced my first holiday shift-Pioneer Day. We had one customer who was incredibly impatient with us, even though we had near thirty orders to get through. It was just our luck that her order never printed at the grill. It was just my luck that I was working fries that shift, so I was standing right next to where customers tend to stand and wait. This particular customer continued to yell at me and criticize us for how long it was taking. Didn't she see all the other customers waiting? Didn't she see how hard we were working, despite the stress of all the orders, not to mention the heat? Eventually, she did get her order, but she demanded a refund because she had to wait so long. After that shift, my manager asked me how I was doing. I think that's one of the few times I've honestly said I was feeling awful (you know how you usually don't tell how you really feel when people ask? You just say "fine?") He gave us coupons for free ice cream after that shift.
But on Saturday, I had the pleasure of serving one customer who seemed frustrated with me even before I noticed she was there. I was making rice krispy treats, so I had my back turned to the restaurant. All of a sudden, I heard a woman's voice question, "Are you open?" I turned around and shook my head. I started to turn back to my rice krispy treats, but she continued to question me. "You could have told me that before! Didn't you see me standing here!?" Shocked, I replied with a simple "no." Still, she persisted. "So, your lights are on, and the doors are open, but you aren't open!?" Confused, I said, "Well, grocery is open, but the grill doesn't open until 11:00." At this point, she noticed the sign and left, murmuring to herself.
I was stunned by the way she talked to me. I don't understand how someone could treat a complete stranger that way. But, unfortunately for me, she wasn't the first and is not likely to be the last.
A customer approached me one morning to ask me if we served breakfast. Of course, I told him, "Sorry, no, we don't," and went back to braiding bread, or frosting brownies, or cheesing hoagie buns--whatever task I was performing. A few minutes later, my supervisor appeared in the bakery to ask me, "What's this I hear about you being rude to customers?" I was dumbfounded. I think I just stared at him with my jaw dropped. So my supervisor talked instead. "Yeah, this guy said he asked you if we served breakfast, you said no, and you glared at him." Hardly. I'll admit, I didn't exactly give him the time of day, but some things are obvious (like the fact that we don't serve breakfast,) and I was obviously busy. Luckily, my supervisor recognized that the customer's claim was ridiculous, so we had a little chuckle about it and went back to work.
During my first month of work, when I was a lowly restaurant minion, not yet an esteemed baker, I experienced my first holiday shift-Pioneer Day. We had one customer who was incredibly impatient with us, even though we had near thirty orders to get through. It was just our luck that her order never printed at the grill. It was just my luck that I was working fries that shift, so I was standing right next to where customers tend to stand and wait. This particular customer continued to yell at me and criticize us for how long it was taking. Didn't she see all the other customers waiting? Didn't she see how hard we were working, despite the stress of all the orders, not to mention the heat? Eventually, she did get her order, but she demanded a refund because she had to wait so long. After that shift, my manager asked me how I was doing. I think that's one of the few times I've honestly said I was feeling awful (you know how you usually don't tell how you really feel when people ask? You just say "fine?") He gave us coupons for free ice cream after that shift.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
On Dying
I decided a few years ago that if I were to develop a terminal illness, I would not endure any sort of treatment meant to delay my death. I would simply let the illness run its course, slowly weakening my body until it was all over.
People talk about things they want to do before they die. Some people want to experience sky diving or travel the globe. Others want to enjoy a family of their own. The only thing I want to do before I die is to learn to accept myself as I am and be content with who that person is.
When I finally die, I would want my family to be with me. I would want them to sing to me and talk about all the happy things we'd done together in my lifetime.
People talk about things they want to do before they die. Some people want to experience sky diving or travel the globe. Others want to enjoy a family of their own. The only thing I want to do before I die is to learn to accept myself as I am and be content with who that person is.
When I finally die, I would want my family to be with me. I would want them to sing to me and talk about all the happy things we'd done together in my lifetime.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
On Money
Money is a very temporal thing that, I've discovered, only serves to make life miserable. When you are short on money, life is stressful because you cannot provide for the necessities of life. When you have money in abundance, life is... actually, I wouldn't know. But I doubt it's as good as it sounds.
I recently read a book by Deb Caletti entitled "The Fortunes of Indigo Skye." In the book, the main character is rather randomly given 2.5 million dollars. The story line is about how she learns to live her life for others instead of for herself. She ends up giving away a good fraction of the money.
Were I given 2.5 million dollars, I'm not entirely sure what I would do with it. I know a portion would pay for the remainder of my college career. A portion would go towards providing my parents with a new home that they desperately deserve. Another portion would pay for my siblings to attend college. After all that, I'd estimate only having spent $700,000.
In all honesty, and though it's unlikely anyway, I hope I'm never given any large amount of money. I want to be able to live my life so that I can adequately provide for my needs on my own.
I recently read a book by Deb Caletti entitled "The Fortunes of Indigo Skye." In the book, the main character is rather randomly given 2.5 million dollars. The story line is about how she learns to live her life for others instead of for herself. She ends up giving away a good fraction of the money.
Were I given 2.5 million dollars, I'm not entirely sure what I would do with it. I know a portion would pay for the remainder of my college career. A portion would go towards providing my parents with a new home that they desperately deserve. Another portion would pay for my siblings to attend college. After all that, I'd estimate only having spent $700,000.
In all honesty, and though it's unlikely anyway, I hope I'm never given any large amount of money. I want to be able to live my life so that I can adequately provide for my needs on my own.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
On Tomorrow
Tomorrow is a question mark. You can't know what tomorrow will bring. It could be the greatest day of your life; it could be the last day of your life, which is sometimes the same thing.
"You have to count on living every single day in a way you believe will make you feel good about your life -- so that if it were over tomorrow, you'd be content with yourself."
--Jane Seymour
How do you become "content with yourself"? A contented person is probably optimistic and confident. He probably has found his purpose in life. He has his support system in place. He doesn't worry what tomorrow will bring.
What if tomorrow were the end? Would you have accomplished everything you needed to in this life? Would you say to yourself, "Self, you did well."?
If I were gone tomorrow, what would you say to me today?
"You have to count on living every single day in a way you believe will make you feel good about your life -- so that if it were over tomorrow, you'd be content with yourself."
--Jane Seymour
How do you become "content with yourself"? A contented person is probably optimistic and confident. He probably has found his purpose in life. He has his support system in place. He doesn't worry what tomorrow will bring.
What if tomorrow were the end? Would you have accomplished everything you needed to in this life? Would you say to yourself, "Self, you did well."?
If I were gone tomorrow, what would you say to me today?
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Chicken Cordon Bleu
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast
4 slices Swiss cheese
4 thin sliced smoked ham
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
2 cups crushed frosted flakes
Place one chicken breast in a plastic bag. Using the flat side of a meat tenderizer or a rolling pin, pound chicken until about 1/2 inch thick. Repeat with all four breasts.
Lay one chicken breast on a piece of plastic wrap. Layer Swiss cheese, then ham. Roll up the chicken, then wrap in the plastic wrap. Repeat with all four breasts. Refrigerate one hour. This will help the chicken retain its shape.
Bring chicken to room temperature.
Pour flour into a bowl. In another bowl, beat egg with milk to make an egg wash. Place crushed frosted flakes in another bowl. Unwrap chicken. Cover in flour, then egg wash, then roll in frosted flakes. Place in a greased baking dish. Bake at 375 degrees for about 40 minutes or until juices run clear.
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